Protected
by LyriaFrost
Summary: What if Doctor K wasn't the one to come to Ziggy's rescue when he was caught by the mafia? Ziggy/Dillon
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

This story is rated T for one little swear word cause it involves mafia bosses :) Also, this story does contain slash so don't read if you don't like.

11/20/2013 - fixed spelling/grammar and other mistakes

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><p>Ziggy stood in the center of the room surrounded by mafia henchmen. Four of the five leaders stood just outside the circle, smirking at their helpless prisoner. With his hands tied tightly behind his back, Ziggy could do nothing but stand there and try to keep the fear he felt from showing. Fresno Bob stood within the ring of heavily muscled men, circling Ziggy with a predatory gleam in his eye.<p>

"Well, well, well, Ziggy. Why did you come back? You must have known that it was a stupid idea." Ziggy gave no signs of hearing him and continued to stare stonily forward. At a nod, one of the men stepped forward and slammed his fist into Ziggy's stomach. Ziggy went down on one knee, gasping for breath. "Now, now, Ziggy. It's not nice to ignore people who are talking to you. So, why did you return? Couldn't resist coming back to get the loot?" Ziggy still refused to answer. Two men stepped forward and one pulled Ziggy up by his hair while the other punched him again and again. When they finally let him go, he slumped down to his knees. They gave him a moment to recover before pulling him up again, though he could not support himself. Fresno Bob grabbed his chin, forcing Ziggy to look at him. "Why did you come back?" Ziggy finally answered between gasps.

"Where else was I supposed to go?"

"Still, you knew that we would never stop coming after you. You cost us millions of dollars and we don't let something like that go easily."

"It doesn't matter, I had to come back and then I had to stay. It's something far bigger than a few million dollars worth of black market medical goods."

"Ah yes, I did hear something about that. You fell in with those Power Rangers. So what are you to them, some kind of pet? Or just a nuisance?"

"No, I'm one of them, I am the Green Ranger!"

"You, a Power Ranger? Ha! You may have the morpher and the spandex and all the pretty toys but you are no Power Ranger. You're too weak and cowardly and pathetic to be a Ranger." Ziggy closed his eyes for a moment to mask the pain those words left in his heart. He had often thought those things himself but no one had ever said them out loud before, and that stung. Fresno Bob smiled as he saw that his words had struck a chord somewhere deep in the young man. "And now they know of your troubled past. Do you really think they'll try to help you? They left you in that jail while they went off to save the world without you. They don't need you anymore. They never did." Ziggy could feel the tears begin to gather in his eyes and shook his head to clear the blurriness.

"It doesn't matter. I would do all of it over again a million times. Including taking that truck." Ziggy looked straight into Fresno Bob's eyes, showing how serious he was. Enraged, the mob boss backhanded Ziggy, knocking him backwards. He landed on his side with a cry of pain as his shoulder was painfully wrenched from its socket. Fresno Bob crouched down beside him, squeezing his shoulder and causing Ziggy to cry out again.

"Where is my truck, Ziggy?

"It's gone."

"Where did you hide it?"

"I… I didn't hide it, I used it." Fresno Bob squeezed tighter.

"You sold my medical supplies?!"

"No, I gave it…away."

"You what?!" Fresno stood, kicking Ziggy in the chest. "You stupid, worthless little piece of shit. I'll teach you to double cross the mob bosses of Corinth." He went to kick Ziggy again but his foot was grabbed mid-kick. Someone twisted his foot, causing Fresno Bob to spin in midair and fall to the ground. When he looked up he saw the Black Ranger standing over Ziggy, who was still struggling for breath. Everyone else was too shocked to move. "Don't just stand there you idiots! Get him!" What followed was a very brief but violent battle. The Black Ranger did not hold back, throwing kicks and punches left and right until everyone had either fled or lay passed out around the room. He stood panting until a soft moan brought him back to awareness.

"Ziggy!" Dillon powered down his morpher and ran over to his friend. He crouched down and pulled out a pocketknife, cutting the ropes that bound Ziggy's wrists. As soon as he was free, Ziggy launched himself up into Dillon's arms and pressed their mouths together in a desperate kiss. He ignored the pain in his chest and ribs and his shortness of breath, as they pulled apart. "Not that I'm not pleased, but what was that for?"

"That was a thank you and an apology."

"What are you apologizing for?"

"For not telling you about my past. It's just… I met you and you actually took me along and we got to Corinth and there never seemed to be time. And then I fell in love with you and you told me you loved me too and then I didn't want to tell you because I was afraid that you would hate me if I told you and… and I just can't stand the thought of you ever hating me." Dillon cut Ziggy off with a kiss. When they pulled apart, Dillon held Ziggy's gaze and wiped away the tears from the younger boy's face.

"Now I'm going to tell you something and I want you to listen well. I love you, and that's not going to change. Everything that happened in your past made you the Ziggy Grover that I fell in love with. Your past is part of you and I love every part of you." Ziggy smiled shyly.

"Thank you, Dillon. I really needed to hear that now."

"Good. Now, don't think this discussion is over but we really need to go help the other rangers."

"Alright, let's go." Dillon pulled Ziggy up to a standing position but once standing, the smaller boy hissed and wrapped his arms around his stomach.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, just a little sore."

"Are you sure you're okay to fight now?"

"I'm fine, Dillon, don't worry."

"Ziggy…"

"Please, Dillon, I need to do this. Besides once I power up, the suit will help and Doc can fix me when the battle is over. Please." Dillon stared at him for a moment, searching his face. Apparently what he saw satisfied him because he stepped back and nodded. "Alright well then what are we waiting for?"

"RPM… Get In Gear!" With a dramatic explosion, the Green and Black Rangers replaced the two men. They sped through the streets towards the sounds of a battle, always together, always taking care of each other.


	2. Chapter 2

Well, it's been almost a year since I posted the first part to this story. I hadn't intended to write a second part, but apparently I wrote it. I recently found it in an old folder full of my high school papers, so I decided I might as well post it!

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><p>By the time that day's battle was over, Ziggy had forgotten about the injuries he had sustained while with the mafia. So when he demorphed, he was unprepared for the sudden rush of pain. His ribs and stomach felt like they were on fire and his injured arm throbbed mercilessly. He had other assorted bruises and cuts that now stung and ached and his wrists were rubbed raw where the ropes had been. Fortunately, Dillon was there next to him and caught him when he was overwhelmed.<p>

"I knew it was a bad idea to let you go fight."

"Don't, Dillon. I needed to do this." Scott, Summer, and Flynn all gathered around.

"You okay there, Ziggy?'

"Yeah, I'm fine, just a little roughed up." Dillon reached down and lifted Ziggy up, carrying him bridal style. "Wha… what are you doing, Dillon?"

"It's time to go back to the Garage and you are in no condition to walk anywhere." Once the Rangers got back to their base, Dillon took Ziggy back to the lab and situated him on the med table. The others followed and Doctor K came rushing up.

"What happened, Ziggy?" When Ziggy didn't answer, Dillon spoke up.

"Do you want me to tell them, Ziggy?" Ziggy sighed.

"No, I'll do it. You guys know about the charges and why I was arrested, right?" When the others all nodded, Ziggy continued. "Well, when you guys left to fight Ventrix and his newest monster, I was left alone. Two mafia men disguised themselves as prison guards and took me back to the mafia's headquarters where all the bosses and their men were waiting. They weren't too happy about me taking their truckload of medical supplies, especially once they found out that I'd given it away. Fortunately, Dillon was there to stop them before they got to make an example out of me." Ziggy shuddered as thoughts of what might have happened flashed through his mind. Dillon grabbed Ziggy's hand, interlacing their fingers and leaning in for a light kiss.

"Don't worry, Ziggy. I won't let them get you again, you're safe now." The other Rangers were happy that Ziggy had someone to take care of him. They had seen all the looks that passed between Dillon and Ziggy, the love and trust that both men needed. After a few more questions, the others left the room so Doctor K could do the check-up. Only Dillon stayed, holding Ziggy's hand as the younger man was poked, prodded, and analyzed. When the exam was over, she told them that Ziggy had both broken and bruised ribs, a dislocated shoulder, and multiple bruises and contusions.

"I'm going to set your shoulder and wrap your ribs and give you something for the pain. However, I see no reason why you should have to stay here. You can take him up to his room, Dillon, but if anything goes wrong I expect him down here, one way or another." After finally convincing the Doc that they would both follow her orders, Dillon led Ziggy upstairs to the room they shared, changing the younger man into night clothes and making sure he was comfortable before changing his own outfit and joining him in the large bed. Now that they were alone, Ziggy allowed the stresses of the day to catch up to him. Dillon held him close as he began to tremble.

"Shhh, Ziggy, let it all out. You're safe here." Soon the smaller boy began to cry in earnest as he realized just how close to dying he had ended up that day. If Dillon had not come back and found his cell empty, no one would have noticed him missing until it was far too late.

"Why did you come back, Dillon?

"What are you talking about, Ziggy?"

"Why did you come looking for me today? You left me in that prison cell and then showed up at Fresno Bob's place. Why were you there?"

"I went back to the prison looking for you, Ziggy. It just didn't feel right to leave you there. And when I found you missing I had Doctor K track your morpher."

"But why come back? I thought you hated me because I didn't tell you about my past. And I should have because I knew that I couldn't outrun them forever. But I was so afraid of how you would all react so I didn't say anything. And because of that, you had to find out in the worst way possible. I'm so sorry for that but I don't understand how you could get past that to come after me."

"Oh, Ziggy. Nothing will ever make me leave you. And nothing can make me hate you either. You did what you felt you had to do. I won't fault you for that. You may not have made the right choices but you did the best you could with the circumstances you were given. Yes, I wish you had told me sooner, but only because then I could have protected you and saved you from this pain. I love you, Ziggy. That's all that matters to me. We can work through everything else."

"Thank you, Dillon. I don't know what I would do without you. I really thought I was going to die today, without ever getting a chance to explain things to you. The thought that you would never know the truth, would always think I was just a dirty rotten thief and liar… that hurt so much. I'm so glad that you came for me."

"I'll always come for you, Ziggy. I love you."

"I love you too, Dillon." Those were the last words spoken for the rest of the night, as the two occupants of the room fell into a restful, healing sleep shortly after. When Doctor K peeked into the room to check on Ziggy, they were curled up tightly against each other, not an inch of space between them. Ziggy was safe there, wrapped in Dillon's embrace, the place where he would always be protected.


End file.
